**SNIP** So Thursday, the FEC sent Jackson’s campaign committee its eighth consecutive failure-to-file notice. It must file its end-of-the year report for 2014 or face a penalty. (Perhaps that threat rings a bit hollow when you’re already in jail?) In August 2014, the FEC fined Jackson for nearly $18,000 for not filing reports in 2013, according to the Chicago Tribune. He must formally terminate his committee to get the FEC off his back, but his treasurer quit in September 2013, and so it seems there’s no person responsible for doing the necessary paperwork. Since his last report in November 2012,...

WASHINGTON -- Congressman-turned-convicted-felon Jesse Jackson Jr. will sell his town house in the nation’s capital to help pay a $750,000 forfeiture he owes, according to a court filing today. Jackson, 48, a Chicago Democrat who quit Congress last November, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on Aug. 14 after using $750,000 in campaign cash on a Rolex watch, furs, vacations, celebrity memorabilia, mounted elk heads and other whims. He has not yet reported to prison, but is expected to do so shortly, a federal Bureau of Prisons official said.

Ex-congressman Jackson is eligible to receive $8,700 dollars per month in disability pay due to his bipolar condition and could receive a partial federal pension of $45,000 per year once he reaches 65. While on the city council, Sandi Jackson had automatic pension contributions of more than $50,000 withdrawn from her pay, even though she chose not to be a member of the city pension fund.

Jesse Jackson Jr. was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in federal prison Wednesday, the closing chapter in the story of a pol who rapidly ascended the political ladder only to fall quickly and dramatically from public grace. His story is a reminder of how quickly everything can come crashing down in politics. And the bigger you are, the harder you fall. It wasn’t that long ago that the political world was abuzz with chatter about the heights that Jackson might reach in his career. He is, after all, the son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon. And...

Ex-Congressman Apologizes to Family for Misusing Campaign Funds A judge on Wednesday sentenced former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to 2½ years in prison for treating his campaign fund like a "personal piggy bank"—siphoning off $750,000 over the years to pay for personal items like spa treatments and televisions. Mr. Jackson's wife, Sandi Jackson, a former Chicago alderman, was sentenced to a year in prison for her role in the scheme. The former congressman, who had represented a Chicago district for more than a decade, resigned last year amid the Federal Bureau of Investigation probe of his finances. He pleaded guilty...

WASHINGTON — The sentencings of former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., and his wife, Sandi, were postponed Monday, with no new date set. The South Side Democrats had been scheduled to learn their fates Wednesday, until the delay was announced by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is not related to the pair. A court spokesman said neither the prosecution nor defense asked for the postponement. "The matter was rescheduled to accommodate the court's schedule and workload — neither side requested a continuance," said Jenna Gatski, a spokeswoman for the U.S. District Court.

A day after federal prosecutors announced they will ask a judge to send his son, former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., to prison for four years and his daughter-in-law, former Ald. Sandi Jackson, for 18 months, the Rev. Jesse Jackson appeared at Rainbow PUSH on Saturday but said nothing about the prison future that may await them. But others attending the regular “Saturday morning forum” at Rainbow PUSH headquarters on the South Side said they worry about the Jacksons’ two children, ages 9 and 13. “I think it’s really unfortunate that both parents are going to be without their children...

Already looking at a possible prison term, former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. could face new trouble over his apparent failure to file a financial disclosure report that is required when lawmakers leave the House. Meantime, his campaign has been warned by the Federal Election Commission about missing recent deadlines for public reports. Jackson will be sentenced July 1 for misusing more than $750,000 in campaign cash to buy luxury goods and other items. He resigned last Nov. 21 and later pleaded guilty to a felony. Under the federal Ethics in Government Act, representatives who leave office — on their own...

Former Illinois state Rep. Robin Kelly, whose campaign received a $2 million boost from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, easily captured Tuesday’s special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. The win for the Matteson Democrat was widely expected as the Chicago-area district, which Jackson represented from 1995 until late last year, has been a Democratic stronghold for roughly six decades. Kelly emerged from a crowded field in the February primary by focusing heavily on anti-gun efforts and was helped by ads from Bloomberg’s super PAC. Kelly, 56, vowed to become a leader in the federal fight...

Democrat Robin Kelly claimed victory tonight in a low-turnout contest to decide the successor to former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in a 2nd Congressional District with a history of scandal-plagued representation. With more than two-thirds percent of precincts counted, the former state lawmaker had about 77 percent of the vote to about 16 percent for Republican Paul McKinley, an unemployed political activist and ex-convict. The rest of the vote went to a Green Party candidate and three independent candidates who made the special general election ballot.

The Jackson file... Ensconced in the safety of their home in Washington, D.C., former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife, former Ald. Sandi Jackson, are struggling to make ends meet before their sentencing in June. To wit: The shattered couple, who recently pleaded guilty to felonies, could lose their law licenses. They are desperately trying to pay the bills and figure out a financial plan for their two children. Although writing a memoir is on the table if Jackson Jr. can find a publisher (or publish it himself), Sneed is told their major financial support now is Triple J’s...

After reading about the money he stole, the expensive swag he bought with campaign funds, and the constituents he ultimately betrayed, it’s hard to feel anything but contempt for disgraced celebrity son and former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. But apparently not everyone agrees with me. Indeed, the folks over at ‘Morning Joe’ are -- wait for it -- saddened by his downfall (via Jazz Shaw):

Former Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal conspiracy charges of using campaign funds to purchase personal and luxury items, bringing what’s likely a grim end to a fast-rising political career. Jackson was charged Friday with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and making false statements. He is accused by prosecutors of spending $750,000 in campaign funds for personal use. Prosecutors also say that Jackson failed to report $28,000 in gifts he received. In U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Jackson told Judge Robert Wilkins that he was guilty of the charges against...

**SNIP** Ask how he could humiliate not one but three generations of his globally known family — his famous father and his young children included. No, Jesse Jackson Jr. wouldn't be the first to purposefully slow-walk that yearslong walk. Not the first to delight in secret luxuries and expensive acquisitions along a reliable, efficient path to the self-destruction of his career and his reputation. Imagine, though, the depth of conniving, or self-delusion, or entitlement, or sheer audacious recklessness, that the federal accusations against Jackson would have required of him. What the feds on Friday suggested had happened here is a...

Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. was charged in federal court Friday with conspiring to use campaign funds for personal use -- in an alleged $750,000 spending spree that included purchases of a gold-plated Rolex and pricey children's furniture. It had been expected that a plea agreement would be entered into court Friday, but that agreement is apparently still pending. Instead, federal prosecutors charged Jackson Friday with conspiracy. Prosecutors separately charged his wife Sandi with filing false federal tax returns, but according to her attorney she has reached a plea agreement. In a statement, the former Illinois Democratic congressman said he...

Federal officials filed charges Friday against Jesse Jackson Jr. after the former congressman reportedly signed a plea deal for allegedly improperly spending hundreds of thousands in campaign funds. The paperwork was filed at the U.S District Courthouse in Washington. Jackson, who left the public eye last summer for treatment of bi-polar disorder and resigned from office in November, is not expected to make an appearance, but he offered a response in his first statement to the public in months.

(Newser) â€“ Looks like Jesse Jackson Jr. didn't exactly work out a sweetheart plea deal for himself. Prosecutors intend to recommend 46 to 57 months of prison time for the former congressman, along with a fine of between $10,000 and $100,000, Politico reports. As part of the deal, Jackson admits to having conspired with his wife to illegally spend $750,000 in campaign money on such vagaries as fur coats, airplane tickets, a $43,000 Rolex watch, celebrity memorabilia, booze, cigars, and even groceries. Jackson was formally charged today with felonies including conspiracy, reports the Chicago Tribune. His wife, former Chicago...

Sneed has learned a plea deal is now on the table between former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and federal authorities probing allegations of campaign fund misuse. Sneed is told the plea deal includes Jackson serving time in federal prison. “Significant jail time is now definitely a part of the deal,” said a top Sneed source close to the probe. “But I think [Jackson’s wife] Sandi, feels like she was thrown under the bus by her husband, ” now that a separate probe has begun on her, a second source added. Sandi Jackson claims she was stunned by campaign finance abuse...

A white ex-congresswoman with an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association is the front-runner to replace former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in a majority-black Chicagoland district with inner-city neighborhoods wracked by gun violence. At first glance, Debbie Halvorson should have no business winning the Feb. 26 special election. The former Democratic congresswoman was crushed by Jackson in a primary last year. She’s a white Democrat seeking to represent a district in which 54 percent of voters are African-American. **SNIP** Now, black leaders — concerned about Halvorson’s position atop polls — say they’re prepared to make gun control the central...

Ald. Sandi Jackson has resigned from the Chicago City Council. The 7th Ward alderman submitted her resignation letter to Mayor Rahm Emanuel today. It is effective Tuesday. "After much consideration and while dealing with very painful family health matters, I have met with my family and determined that the constituents of the 7th Ward, as well as you Mr. Mayor, and my colleagues in the City Council deserve a partner who can commit all of their energies to the business of the people. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that I tender my resignation as Alderman of 7th Ward,...

It is not surprising that a crowded field of candidates is courting the same kind of clergy support in a Feb. 26 special primary election to replace Mr. Jackson, who resigned his Second Congressional District seat 15 days after winning re-election in November. Now facing a short campaign sprint, those candidates say the backing of ministers and invitations to stump at multiple church services each weekend remain the sacraments of any good election ground game in the district, which includes parts of Chicago’s South Side and southern suburbs. Like in many districts across the country where African-Americans are the majority,...

Democratic State Sen. Donne Trotter is dropping out of the Illinois special election to succeed former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday. Trotter had been seen as a leading candidate in the race. But his campaign was hit hard earlier this month after he was arrested for trying to take a handgun through a security checkpoint O’Hare Airport in Chicago. He told police the weapon was from his job as a security guard and that he forgot about it.

Jesse Jackson Jr. & Wife Sandi Jackson, Accused of ‘Double Dippin’By Brittney M. Walker December 23, 2012 *Oops, Jesse Jackson, Jr. did it again. Just five days after the politician resigned from Congress, his lovely wife and fellow politician, Alderwoman Sandi Jackson, filed a series of interesting amendments to her ward committee’s campaign fund, revealing dozens of previously undisclosed transactions that date back three years. One of the records includes a hefty $13,000 from her hubby’s congressional account into her ward organization account, according to the Chicago Sun Times. So far, these two aren’t looking so good.

Democrats can't agree on successor to Jesse Jackson Jr.By Rick Pearson Tribune reporter 5:22 p.m. CST, December 15, 2012 Democratic leaders spent four hours Saturday listening to 16 candidates audition for the party's endorsement to replace former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., but were unable to solidify behind one contender. After 90 minutes of deliberations, South Side and south suburban committeemen voted for an “open primary,” after Thornton Township chairman Frank Zuccarelli failed to win a majority of the weighted vote on behalf of veteran state Sen. Donne Trotter of Chicago. Trotter spoke the longest and also gained the most...

Sources with knowledge of the probe told the Chicago Sun-Times that investigators believe Jackson had learned of the federal scrutiny of his financial activity prior to his June 10 leave from Congress. The sources said it didn’t necessarily mean the tip was from an investigative source, saying it was possible the congressman received a tip from someone who was notified about the probe, possibly through a subpoena. While Jackson, a South Shore Democrat, eventually released information concerning his health, he did not publicly disclose he had knowledge of the federal probe until last Wednesday — the day he submitted a...

This is really too easy. Imagine the hue and cry in the press and elsewhere, which to be clear would be quite appropriate, if an accurate story about a special congressional election to replace a white congressperson began as follows: "White leaders are growing increasingly worried that a black candidate might seize the seat of former Rep. ____ in the upcoming special election." Well, a story by Alex Isenstadt at Politico with a truth-obscuring headline ("Blacks fret free-for-all for Jesse Jackson Jr. seat"; the headline should be "Blacks fear a white person will win 'their' seat") clearly shows that Chicagoland's...

Congressmen: Jackson Jr. suffering tremendouslyAssociated Press 3:54 p.m. CST, November 24, 2012 **SNIP** After Saturday's service, Davis and Rush said they have not seen Jackson and don't know where he is. But they said they understand why he has not yet spoken publicly about his resignation. "He can't take the pressure," Rush said. Rush said when he and Davis visited with Jackson a few weeks ago, the 47-year-old son of a civil rights icon broke down in tears several times. They said they don't want others to see him that way. "He's suffering under a tremendous, tremendous toil," Rush said....

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. will announce his resignation from Congress today in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, Jackson's brother Jonathan Jackson said. He spoke to the Chicago Tribune by telephone. The congressman could not be reached for confirmation. Boehner's office also could not be immediately reached. Jackson, 47, a South Side Democrat, has been treated for bipolar depression and has been on a medical leave from Congress since June. He has been under investigation by federal authorities for alleged misuse of campaign dollars and also has faced a congressional ethics probe. Although he did not wage a campaign,...

Feds ‘going down every rat hole’ in Jesse Jackson Jr. probe: sourceBY NATASHA KORECKI Political Reporter November 15, 2012 8:24PM **SNIP** Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed reported last week that Jackson is in the midst of plea discussions. “No one has pled guilty, but plea discussions are ongoing,” a source told Sneed. Meanwhile, investigators are also examining what role the congressman’s wife, Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th), played in the finances, but the source described the inquiry into her so far as a “normal” part of investigating a main target. **SNIP** Jackson was temporarily back in Washington last month when he was...

<p>Sources tell FOX 32 News that Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. is willing to give up his 2nd Congressional District seat if he's given disability when he steps down.</p>
<p>Jackson Jr. was re-elected to his tenth term but last month, sources say, he applied for a disability package--what could be his only income if he resigns. It is expected to take a couple of weeks for Congress to approve or deny the request.</p>

"Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who is battling legal troubles and mental illness, is likely to resign from Congress and face jail time under the terms of a plea deal his lawyer is negotiating with the federal government."

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D) of Illinois has been absent from Congress since June, citing his health. He's also under investigation by a House ethics panel and, reportedly, the FBI. But he looks poised to sail to reelection, polling shows.

Despite being under investigation for “suspicious activity” regarding his congressional finances and being absent from Congress for months while being treated for mental illness at the Mayo Clinic, Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr (D-Ill) seems bound for reelection. Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn (D) insisted that “neither his prolonged absence from his post nor his potential criminal indictment should be construed as disqualifying him for office. The job of a Representative is to represent his constituents. Who’s to say that he doesn’t represent the people of his district?” In support of his position, Quinn pointed out that “many of those elected to...

Report: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. releases robocall, tells supporters 'I am human'By Jonathan Easley - 10/20/12 07:07 PM ET The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) sent out an automated message to constituents in his district on Saturday, asking voters to stick by him through his recent spate of difficulties. “Like many human beings, a series of events came together in my life at the same time and they have been difficult to sort through,” Jackson says in the call. “I am human. I am doing my best. I am trying to sort through them...

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who is in a world of hurt ­— medically and legally — may be returning to Mayo Clinic for treatment. A source who claims to have visited Jackson said, “Jesse is finding it difficult to continue his treatment because the press is staking out his home and making access to his doctor, incredibly hard.” “His doctors are considering sending him back to Mayo Clinic for treatment.” The source added Jackson, who is being treated for bipolar disorder during his four-month absence from work, is trying “to stay focused and calm to enhance his treatment and...

Via Sean Higgins, the Washington Post has a doozy of a story this morning about the travails of Jesse Jackson Jr. who is battling accusations of corruption as well as dealing with issues related to mental illness. While the Post's article carries a colorless headline, the revelations contained within are likely to raise some eyebrows:

In what's shaping out to be a pretty dreadful year for Jesse Jackson's Jr., the Chicago congressman who has been on medical leave for bipolar disorder is now the subject of a criminal investigation for misusing campaign money to spruce up his house. The Wall Street Journal's Devlin Barrett and Evan Perez report that a FBI probe of Jackson is in its "final stages ... according to people familiar with the matter," with the possibility of an indictment coming before the November election. The paper reports Jackson's attorneys tried to get assurances that an indictment wouldn't come before Nov. 6,...

He’s being treated for bipolar disorder — a mental illness that can bring depression, mania, risky behavior and delusions. He’s had a highly publicized relationship with a “social acquaintance” that rocked his marriage. His name is repeatedly linked to disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Now he’s the target of a federal investigation into “suspicious activity” into his congressional finances. What does all this mean for Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s political future when the Nov. 6 election is a little more than three weeks away? “He’s going to be re-elected,” political consultant Thom Serafin said. “In this particular part of the...

Where is Jesse Jackson Jr.?By Claudine Zap September 2,2012 His name is on the ballot. But Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. hasn't made a campaign appearance since the primary. The Democratic congressman from Chicago is running for re-election for his seat in the House of Representatives, but has been out of sight for the last three months, being treated for bipolar disorder. Campaign advisers told the New York Times, which noted that the campaign's office was locked shut, that the candidate is waiting for the doctor's approval to campaign again. The son of Rev. Jesse Jackson was expected to win the...

CHICAGO — Battling mental illness and personal financial troubles, Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) is a heavy favorite for reelection Nov. 6 despite a surreal campaign from which he has been absent for almost four months. Jackson, 47, who disclosed this summer that he has bipolar depression and has undergone weeks of hospitalization, is convalescing in Washington and meeting occasionally with aides. He has been absent from the House of Representatives since June 8. Whether he will campaign at all is in question. His reelection bid is being led by his wife, Sandi Jackson, who turned down interview requests....

Chicago Sun-Times reporter Natasha Korecki followed every step of Blagojevich’s downfall. She details his demise in a new book — Only in Chicago: How the Rod Blagojevich Scandal Engulfed Illinois; Embroiled Barack Obama, Rahm Emanuel, and Jesse Jackson, Jr.; and Enthralled the Nation. The book raises the question of whether Jesse Jackson Jr., the congressman son of the famed civil rights leader, plotted to arrange a pardon for Blagojevich from President Barack Obama.

CHICAGO (AP) — U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is in a "deep" depression and has "a lot of work" ahead of him on the road to recovery, former Rhode Island U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy said Thursday after visiting the hospitalized Chicago Democrat. Jackson has been on a secretive medical leave since June 10, when family members said he collapsed at their home in Washington. He is currently being treated for bipolar disorder at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. But neither his office nor family members have said much about his medical condition. The visit from Kennedy — who has...

CHICAGO — A few years ago, the political career of Representative Jesse L. Jackson Jr. was soaring. His appeal had long since crossed race and class lines — a Barack Obama before anyone heard of Barack Obama — and he seemed destined for a political future that could reach higher and wider than that of his father, the civil rights leader and former presidential candidate whose name he shared. But Mr. Jackson’s prospects have tumbled precipitously since the end of 2008. Most recently, Mr. Jackson, 47, has been absent from Congress since June 10, and in the last few weeks...

Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. is suffering from debilitating depression and even collapsed at his home in Washington two months ago, his wife said in an interview published Saturday that revealed new details about his secretive leave of absence. Sandi Jackson, who is a Chicago City Council member, told the Chicago Sun-Times that contrary to rumors, her husband did not try to kill himself and was not being treated for alcohol or drug addiction. "No, no, none of that is true," she said. The Chicago Democrat and son of civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson has been off the job...

{Buried last paragraph of article:} He has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee in recent years over allegations that he improperly raised money for former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich (D) in an effort to win appointment to the Senate seat formerly held by President Obama. As part of a corruption investigation, Blagojevich was heard on a tape saying that Raghuveer Nayak, an associate of Jackson, had offered to pay $1.5 million to the governor if the congressman was appointed to the Senate. Nayak was arrested last month on unrelated fraud charges just days after Jackson’s medical leave began....

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.is undergoing treatment for bipolar II depression at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., the facility said today. Mayo Clinic said the diagnosis came after extensive evaluation. “Congressman Jackson is responding well to the treatment and regaining his strength,” it said in the statement. The statement added: “Many Americans have bipolar disorder. Bipolar II disorder is a treatable condition that affects parts of the brain controlling emotion, thought and drive and is most likely caused by a complex set of genetic and environmental factors. Congressman Jackson underwent bariatric surgery in 2004, specifically a duodenal switch. This type...